The Big Three
by Buckeye2005
Summary: "The big three of romantic dates, beach picnic, impromptu dancing in the rain, and the opera." Three chapters of Tiva and Tali fluff, from Ziva's POV. You have been warned. Other characters pop in here and there in references.
1. Beach Picnic

**A/N: Three chapters of pure unadulterated Tiva and Tali fluff. You have been warned.**

* * *

"Ima stop!"

You will thank me one day, she silently thought, rubbing sunscreen into her daughter's cheeks, despite the toddler's protests in various languages. She chided her in Hebrew, the little one scowling at the reprimand to stop touching at her face and leave the sunscreen alone. "You will thank me one day," she said out loud, eventually, as she often did. It was something her mother used to tell her when she complained. She always thought there was no way that would ever happen. Once she released her grip and fell back on her heels, she laughed, Tali taking off to the water, waving her inflatable swan raft above her head.

The waves were relatively light today, washing up onto the shore lazily, playing tag with the little girl who knew her limits and danced among them, screeching as the cool water splashed up onto her pink wetsuit. She had delicate baby skin that burned easily, so instead of the skull-printed little baby two-piece she'd begged to wear, a gift from Abby, she'd had to settle for the pink little wetsuit one-piece with matching floppy hat. It was printed in daisies, her favorite flower. She reached to hold her hat on her head and walked in the wet sand, stomping her feet down and watching them sink for a moment before giggling and doing it again with the other foot.

To be a child again, Ziva wondered, it must be quite an imaginative and big place. She leaned back on the towel, crossing her ankles and digging her feet in the sand, watching Tali play. She heard footsteps moving towards her and a shadow cast itself over the blanket she'd pulled out, anchored in place with Tali's various bags and beach toys. "Took you long enough, I'm starving," she said, reaching up to grab the bag her…well she wasn't sure what you called their relationship these days.

"I'll take that as a friendly _toda._ "

She smiled and dove her hand into the bag, removing warm pita and falafel from the stand he'd obviously dropped by before coming down to the beach. " _Toda,_ " she mumbled through a large bite of bread.

He fell down beside her and pushed his sunglasses up higher on his nose. "It's hot today. Can't get used to this heat."

"It's a dry heat, it's not that bad." She knew he liked it here. There was something very soothing about her home country. She didn't realize how much she had missed it until she'd come back. They both sat in silence, occasionally going for the snacks he'd brought down with him. She nibbled on a piece of bread, watching Tali drop handfuls of wet sand in a pile, building a sandcastle.

"This is nice."

"You were complaining of the heat not five minutes ago."

"Well now I like it, the breeze off the sea, and the palm trees, and the sand and stuff. It's actually not bad. I could stay here." They were going back to Paris in a couple months. Paranoia got the better of her from time to time and she didn't want to stay here for very long, just in case. He glanced sideways at her and then poked her arm. "Hey. You're in another world."

How could she be somewhere else when she was sitting right beside him? She glanced sideways and then frowned at him. He was just so happy. Sitting there with his face up to the sky. Wearing a stupid Hawaiian shirt she told him a thousand times to stop wearing because it just screamed 'American.' It didn't look horrible on him, but she liked to tease him about it. He just wore it to spite her. Today it annoyed her. She couldn't put her finger on it right now. Just…annoyed. "I'm thinking. I want it quiet. Can we have quiet?"

He shrugged and passed her a bottle of water. "You want a drink? Hydrate? Might make you a little friendlier."

"Friendly?" Now she was pissed. She scowled at him and rolled her eyes, grabbing the water bottle. The food was laid out nicely between the two of them. Even had plates now. She narrowed her eyes at it. It was like a little picnic. Well that was…she sighed, irritated with herself. He was being nice and here she was just… "I am sorry, I just…are we ever going to discuss what our future is?"

There, I said it. That's what had been weighing on her. Tali had turned three a few months before. They lived together, they raised their daughter together, they…she glanced away, staring off down the beach. They slept together on a very consistent and satisfying basis. Most people would be content with this type of arrangement. Most people would crave a long-term partner in life, a father for their child, and the ability to spend their summers lying on the beach in Israel and their winters in Paris. They would love for someone to kiss them when they woke up in the morning and before they went to sleep at night. It was something to cherish and hang on to, but…but she was still unsatisfied.

It was not that they did not talk about their relationship, but…they really did not talk about their relationship. The first time she'd said she loved him, she'd almost blushed. It felt surreal. They had never done this before and they had a lot to get through. Trust and intimacy issues. The fact they had a child she'd never told him about. Her faking her death for the second time with him. They'd been together a year, they laughed and they loved, and they fought of course, but always made up in the end. They just didn't talk. Not about these things. Well she was done with that. She picked up a carrot from the container beside her hand and bit into it, thinking for a moment before she glanced at him. He was watching Tali while she zoned out. "We do not talk," she finally said.

"We're talking now."

"I am being serious Tony." She didn't know where she was going with this, but she was going somewhere. She turned her head towards him and gestured towards Tali. "We have a child together, we have lived together for the past year, and we sleep together. We love each other." The last part she said, just the slightest bit wondering. She loved him, yes. She knew he loved her, but…she didn't know what she was thinking right now. It was so confusing. She sighed hard, the breath escaping her with a slight pain. When he said nothing, she continued to talk, filling the empty space between them with frivolous words. Meaningless words. "We love each other and we have a child…she should know her parents are together and are serious about their future together because we need to talk about these things, I know we did not plan any of this like most people and…and…talking is not always our strong suit but Tony we must…"

Finally she turned to glare at him, as he had said nothing during this entire time. It was uncharacteristic of him. He was just eating. She gaped, her hand slamming down onto the blanket. "What are you doing? Stop eating and talk to me!"

"I was waiting for you to stop talking."

"Excuse me?" That took her aback. She squinted. He was up to something. He was just watching Tali play in the water and the sand, eating and generally looking as lazy as he always did. "Stop talking?"

"Well yes, because when you stop talking I was going to tell you to look in my bag."

The bag he'd brought with him was sitting by his elbow. She did as he said and rifled in it, pushing aside sunscreen, a clean change of clothes for Tali, and a spare towel. At the bottom she scraped against the fabric, her fingers closing around a small square object. With a thudding heart, she removed her hand and unclenched her fingers, revealing a small black ring box. Or at least, it had to be a ring box. With one look at him, he nodded, and she flicked it open, her breath catching in her throat. Oh my.

The ring was nestled in crushed black velvet, a beautiful diamond in a silver band, flanked with two smaller diamonds on either side. The band seemed to twist around them, holding the diamonds in place. It was old, she thought, lifting it up out of its enclosure. She twisted it in her fingers and the sunlight caught on the diamonds. She looked up at him, whispering. "You had this?"

He nodded. She swallowed hard. Wow. It didn't matter how long, but he had it. She lifted the diamond up to study it. It was 2.5 carats, easy. The color was…clearer than anything she'd seen, or it felt like that. It was square cut. She bit her lower lip and saw something on the band, tilting it up to peer at the underside. "To the love of my life," she murmured, reading it. "Your AD." She looked over at him, tears wavering in her eyes. "I am the love of your life?"

He nodded, whispering. "Yes. Except I didn't have that engraved. It was another Anthony DiNozzo."

Oh my God, she thought, her heart leaping into her throat. It was his mother's ring. She tried to swallow it back into her chest, but that was impossible. The tears trickled down her face and she smiled at him, still holding the ring tight in her fingers. It was a precious object, she thought, not to be lost. This was a great…a great honor, she thought, receiving it. She set it back in the box and then pushed it into his hands. "You…" she laughed, biting her lip again. "How did you get this?"

"Senior always had it. I thought it was gone. He gave it to me at Christmas, told me that if it wasn't on your finger by the following Christmas, he'd kill me and adopt you." He smirked. "I wanted it to be the right time. Now seems the right time." He shrugged, whispering, suddenly very unsure from his arroange a moment before. "You are going to say yes, right?"

Well...she smiled, twirling the ring around and then smiled slyly, looking up beneath the fringe of her dark hair that had fallen over her eyes. "You have not asked me anything."

It took him a moment to realize what she meant. The uncertainty went away immediately and he laughed, taking the ring back. "Well then…Ziva David…" he shrugged and held the ring up so she could see it again. He grinned. "Are you going to marry me or what?"

Well that was not how she dreamed of a proposal as a child, she thought, grinning. She was not a child though. This was the man she'd fallen in love with, against her better judgment, the man she had a child with, and who she planned to spend the rest of her life with. She laughed again and nodded, reaching for him. "Yes," she said, holding her shaking left hand out as he took it gently in his and slipped the ring onto her left hand.

The diamond sparkled there for a few moments. She stared at it. It was beautiful. It felt strange. Not…foreign or anything. It did not feel heavy or weighty. It was like it was meant to be there. Just a strange feeling to know that though. She looked up and smiled at him, reaching for him at the same time a small figure flung herself in their way, giggling hysterically and covered in sand and seawater. "Ima! Look!"

The little girl lurched forward and held out her hand, where she was holding a perfectly formed purple and gray clamshell. She grinned, proud of her discovery and expecting praise, which she received from them both, congratulating her on her new shell and admiring its colors, which she pointed out were 'burble' instead of 'purple.' "It is beautiful, _neshema_ ," she cooed, hugging Tali and not minding the sand and water getting over her. She grinned down at her daughter. "We will put it on your shelf in your room with your other seashells."

Tali sat up and looked at them both, clearly sensing something different. She grabbed for the bag, rummaging and asking for 'opicles.' "Popsicles are in the house, Tali Bear, we can go up later," he said, pulling their daughter into his lap. He poked her stomach and she squealed, looking up at him with adoring eyes. "Hey, do you want to be a flower girl?"

"Flow-ar?" Tali echoed. She looked up at them both with curious eyes, the concept unfamiliar to her. She returned to her shell, tossing it in her hands and smiling at it. Might be too soon to talk to her about that, she thought, but reached over to squeeze her daughter's little foot. Tali giggled and looked up at her. "Ima!"

That word never grows old, it never will, she thought, leaning in to brush her nose across her daughter's. "Ima and Abba are getting married," she whispered to her, still smiling. She looked up at him and he grinned down at her. "So? Who do we tell first?"

"Well Tali knows now."

That just left everyone else. She moved across the blanket, knocking aside things so she could lean against him, squeezing his hand and peering down at her ring finger. The diamond sparkled beautifully in the light. It was funny how much a simple thing like a ring could represent. They would still need to talk, but at least she knew where he stood on their future. She knocked her head back against his shoulder. "Do you realize this is the most romantic date I've ever been on?"

"Well it should, I mean you got a proposal out of it."

She smirked. "Yes. Picnic on the beach, a proposal, and my Tali." She squeezed Tali's little hand and kissed her cheek for good measure. She sighed, gazing back out over the azure blue of the Med. As one of the best days of her life, it was definitely up there, she thought, moving to get a large towel, wrapping up Tali, who moved against her and promptly dropped off to sleep. She stole another look at her ring and then out at the ocean, smiling and closing her eyes, drifting off.


	2. Impromptu Dancing in the Rain

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews. This is only three chapters and I am working on other things too. Enjoy.**

* * *

"I believe it is going to rain."

"It is not going to rain," Tony guffawed, paying no attention to the fact that the clouds above them seemed to darken immediately after he said this. She blinked up at the sky. A light drop of rain fell on her cheek as if in warning. She sighed and glanced down at Tali, who was wearing a raincoat, hat, boots, and carrying her umbrella, just in case. The four-year old had adopted it as her standard uniform of late. They hadn't been able to get her to wear anything else when they went out, even in the sunshine.

It was a phase, ever since Tony played her _Singin in the Rain_. She had no idea what was going on, obviously, but all the dance and music scenes had lit a fire under her daughter, who had declared her intention to become a singer and dancer and "eggtrass." They took that as 'actress.' Anything but a spy, that is all I ask of you, she thought as Tali again said she wanted to be a dancer. It was in her DNA, to either sing, dance, or act. With her mother now a ballet teacher, her father a movie critic who thought more of his opinions than others did, and at the end of the day, a family history of love for theatrical arts, Tali was all but destined for that as a future career choice. So long as you are happy, that was all Ziva wanted for her daughter. She looked back to the sky. It was darkening further, the clouds now a steel gray.

Well there was an umbrella in the backpack he had slung over his shoulder. She'd packed it, even if he didn't. Always prepared, you never knew what you might need, and the backpack always served as a sort of 'go bag' when they left the apartment. It was currently filled with things Tali might need as well as souvenirs. They were returning from a very productive day in the Musee d'Orsay, where she showed Tali beautiful paintings and sculptures. Her daughter would come to appreciate art and literature the way she had as a child, it would other further her love of it. "We there?" Tali asked. She had no patience. A trait both of her parents blamed on the other.

"Almost." They were walking back from the museum to their apartment, located near the Jewish Quarter in the Marais, once a former safehouse of Eli David's and now where they made their home when they weren't visiting Israel. It felt like she was there though, with the signs in Hebrew and the delis, bakeries, and bookstores offering up as close to her home country as she could get in Paris. She used to live in this area when she was assigned to Mossad here. It brought back some memories, memories she had learned not to forget, but to learn from. Those days were different. She was a different person. She squeezed Tali's hand lightly, to assure herself it was real, that she was here now and not there. Another drop of rain fell onto her skin. It didn't look that bad though…there was some sunlight in the distance. Maybe they'd get home by the time it started to pour.

"Ima," Tali said clearly, breaking her thoughts. "Dance."

"You want to dance?" She lifted up their joined hands and lightly spun Tali around, laughing with her as they started skipping and turning. Her body instantly formed long, lean lines, unable to break out of the discipline even when they were just in the street. She was wearing ballet flats so it seemed appropriate too. She let go of Tali's hand when the little girl ran towards her father, skipping in place. This was an activity she would never have thought to do in public a long time before. It drew too much attention to you, something you couldn't have if you were watching an asset or target. Once again she felt her heart sing at the ability to be free from that life.

Another few drops of rain fell and she twirled in perfect pirouettes, laughing as Tali joined her, turning on the toes of her rainboots. "Dance Abba!" Tali shouted, grabbing his hands.

She lifted her joined hands up to her lips, smiling behind them as she watched her daughter hop on the tops of her father's feet and giggle as he started moving around, turning and laughing as Tali tried to keep up and stay on. _One day you will dance with a man who deserves your love._ The words her father said to her when she was 13-years old echoed in her mind as she watched her daughter dancing. More rain started falling, but she didn't care, pushing her curls out of her eyes as they began to grow damp.

"Ima!" Tali squealed, laughing and looking up at the sky. She was not afraid of anything. Most children screamed and tried to run for cover in the rain, but not Tali.

"Uh Ziva…I think we should probably make a run for it."

"No," she laughed. It was just a little rain. The sky opened then, dropping rain on them. Tali screamed and started splashing in it, while she just laughed, pushing her wet hair from her face and grabbing hold of his hands, spinning on the sidewalk. The others around them probably thought they were crazy, not trying to seek cover. It was a cool, refreshing spring rain, and she wanted to savor it for a moment. She grabbed his hands and moved close to him, grinning. "Tali is enjoying herself."

"Tali is four and can keep herself entertained for days." He smiled down at her, his eyes sparkling. There was something in his mind. "Ziva David."

"Yes Tony DiNozzo?"

"Will you dance with me?"

Dance with him? She looked up at the rain falling from the sky and at Tali, who was spinning around in circles with her open umbrella, shouting. "I singin! I singin in da' rain!" she belted, laughing after each lyric.

She took his hand, formerly, and smiled, nodding. "Why yes, I will dance with you." Not surprised anymore at his skills on the dance floor, she felt him spin her around and then towards his chest, her hand settling in his and her arm going over his shoulder. The rain had steadied somewhat, but she still made no move to try to get to the umbrella or make their way home. Water drenched into her jacket, soaked through her shoes, and was starting to chill her, but she didn't care.

Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Tali continue to spin in the rain, now moving on to singing 'Chim-Chiminey' from _Mary Poppins_. "She's going to get pneumonia," he commented.

"She will be fine. She is healthy as a horse." That one she got right, she thought, smirking at him as he was about to correct her and then closed his mouth when he realized there was nothing to correct. "Ha, I got one."

"Yeah, one." After a second, he glanced down at her and smiled again, before speaking. His voice was soft and reflective. "Remember the first time we really danced?"

Like it was yesterday, she thought, flashing back to that nightclub in Berlin. In that moment she had done as he'd asked. She was just Ziva, dancing with Tony. No other agenda, nothing else in her mind but dancing with him. In that moment she'd become acutely aware of all he'd done for her. All he was doing for her. They were different people, people who were allowing themselves to actually acknowledge their feelings. She nodded. "Yes, I remember." She cocked her head. "Why?"

"No reason. Just thinking about it is all." He looked back at her again, quiet. "You were thinking of something when we danced. Your father. It wasn't…it wasn't about going after anything though. Like it was a good memory?"

He really knew her. "Yes," she said. She looked at Tali and he followed her gaze. Their daughter was quite possibly the happiest child she'd ever seen. Except perhaps Victoria Palmer or McGee and Delilah's newborn son Jack. It should not have been something she remembered, since it happened so long ago, but the memories with him...she knew almost every single moment and could bring it up at the slightest mention. "I was thinking of something he told me. He said I would dance one day with a man who deserved my love and…and I was." She looked up again and smiled, quiet. "And seeing Tali dance with you…reminded me of it just now too."

He leaned in and kissed her softly. He was cold, from the rain, but she didn't care, feeling it warm her up anyways. She gripped at his shoulders and grinned as he broke the kiss. "Wow," he whispered, looking around for a moment as they continued to sway. "I just realized something."

"That Tali is reenacting that movie you showed her?" Tali was now swinging around one of the lampposts beside them, belting lyrics in French at the top of her lungs.

"No, but yes." He looked at the sky and at the Eiffel Tower behind them. They were in the middle of a park space now. The rain was coming down in drizzle, misting off of the cool earth. He laughed, blinking rain from his eyes. "We're dancing in the rain."

"Yes." It was an odd thing to be doing, of course, but at the moment it seemed perfectly natural. She cocked her head. There was a look on his face she'd seen before. When he knew something she didn't know. She'd never liked it before and she didn't like it now. Call it competition; it had only grown between them. "What are you thinking?"

He shrugged and leaned in again, kissing her. There was something different. The others had been kind of silly, afterthoughts. This was like the kiss they'd had after he proposed or after they got married. Soft, sweet, and full of love. She smiled against him and he broke away, a grin on his face. "You do realize what dancing in the rain is, don't you?"

"Something they do in movies?"

"Well yes, but it's also…" He spun around a few times in a circle, dipping her so her hair touched the dewey grass and then pulled her back up. "The second most romantic date you can ever have."

A very long time ago he'd made a comment about that. She chuckled, shrugging. "The Big Three. I remember."

They spun in circles a few more times, Tali skipping over to dance around them. She pulled away from him as Tali wedged herself in, taking her place back on the tops of his feet, the two of them dancing. She sat on a park bench, watching them. The rain began to let up. She gazed out over the park and to the Eiffel Tower, smiling and releasing a long held breath. This was happiness, she thought, looking out over the skyline. She dropped her eyes to the two dancing in the grass, talking about something she couldn't hear. She reached into her pocket and lifted out her phone, ignoring the drops of rain falling onto the screen and took a picture, smiling down at it. She sent a quick text with it out to a friend.

A few minutes later, as they walked back to their house, Tali on his hip, holding the umbrella above their heads, and her arm around his waist, she felt the phone in her pocket buzz. He glanced down at her. "Expecting a call?" She opened the response text message and turned it up towards him. He squinted at it and read aloud. " _They are going to catch pneumonia. By the way, this is McGee typing since you know how much he hates the text thing. He told me to tell you to stop doing it._ " He frowned. "Well then how are we supposed to talk to him? He doesn't speak." Well that was already answered, she thought, turning the phone back to him again to show the newest message. Tony scowled at it. " _Figure it out DiNozzo_." He shook his head, marveling, his voice a soft whisper. "It's like he can hear all over the world."

She didn't have the heart to tell her husband he'd accidentally hit the 'text to talk' and had sent his comment via the phone all the way to DC. "Well he's always right," she said, taking Tali from him and wiping at her nose, which she was already sniffling. She offered her hand. "Come on, let's go home."

"We can dance Ima," Tali said.

"Yes, we will dance there, once I get you into some dry clothes." Tali would be ready for a nap by then too. She felt his arm snake around her waist and grinned, narrowing her eyes at him. "I know what you are thinking and it will only happen if you cook dinner tonight."

"Aw come on Ziva you know I hate cooking."

She spun around on her toes, grinning and lifting Tali higher on her hip. Her baby girl was getting too big, she hated it. "Mac and Cheese in the box constitutes as cooking in my book. You can do that, right?" She laughed and kissed Tali's nose. "Abba is silly."

"Abba is weird," Tali corrected. She giggled. "He dances in the rain."

"One of the most romantic things you can do Tali Bear, don't forget it." They walked the rest of the way home in silence and by the time she got Tali into dry clothes and in for her nap, as well as dried off and warmed up herself, she knew it was too late, falling to sleep to the annoying sound of Tony sniffling and Tali coughing in the next room. Great, she sighed, shaking her head.

Sure enough, a few days later, she was the only one who wasn't sick, since she never got sick, and was dealing with two DiNozzos with colds. It was like a version of warfare, she thought, rolling her eyes as Tony sobbed for more cough syrup and wanted popsicles for his throat, while Tali beat him with Kelev and complained that her ears hurt and he was making it worse. Then to make it better. This is what I get for dancing in the rain, she thought, helping Tali with blowing her nose. Oh well. It was worth it.


	3. The Opera

**A/N: Meh, not really happy about this chapter although I rewrote it 10 times. Just didn't want to leave readers hanging. Still working on that Tali and Senior fic. Have another one in mind that is Kate!lives but Ziva is still in the picture, like a 'what if' scenario. We'll see what ends up coming next. I do enjoy writing NCIS fic, just don't want to oversaturate everyone with it and write the same thing others are writing. Especially with all the post 13x24 fics out there. Thanks for the reviews and enjoy.**

* * *

The apartment was silent. It unnerved her. In the past she would have relished silence, preferring it over a constant cacophony of noises from the television, electronic games, a six-year old, and a grown man who acted like a six-year old. She fiddled with her teacup, the herbal mix not soothing her as it normally did. Tali was with Delilah and McGee, who were in town visiting for their anniversary. They were going to dinner together and she'd spend the night in their hotel, treating it like a little excursion for her.

Despite the fact it was their anniversary, both Delilah and Tim assured her they wanted to do this, since they never got to see her and it was a treat, even though they were basically exchanging their toddler Jack for a larger, louder, and more demanding version in Tali. Besides, it will give you guys time alone, Delilah had teased, with a wink. That wasn't necessarily a concern. Senior basically lived with them so when they wanted time alone they could orchestrate it. She released a long sigh and propped her chin in her hands, looking around the empty kitchen. It was cold and sterile. When Tali was around it was full of life, almost the center of the home.

She pushed away from the counter, fussing around with the little herbs and flowers they were growing on the windowsill. She could see the Eiffel Tower in the distance, lit up from the large windows of their kitchen. Tali called it her tower. I miss her, she thought with a longing clench in her heart. She'd been gone the whole day. She turned and went upstairs, wondering where her husband had found himself. It was too quiet. "Where is he?" she asked the cat that Tali had adopted from the alley beside their house, a few months ago. Tali had named the cat Chatul, which just meant 'cat' in Hebrew. Very simple with names, Tali was. Chatul, a fat tabby, rolled onto his back and went back to sleep, absolutely no use. She sighed and trudged down the hallway. "Tony? Where are you?" She walked into their bedroom, confronted with the closet door open and him throwing things out of it left and right. "What are you doing?"

She should have known better than to ask. Despite all the time they'd been partners, friends, parents, and spouses, she still asked him questions expecting answers that made sense. One day I will learn, she thought, watching as he rummaged in the closet. She squinted and pointed. "Why are you wearing your James Bond tuxedo?" He didn't answer her, but cursed as something fell on his head from a shelf above. She frowned, watching as a few pairs of her boots went flying. Okay then. This was just standard DiNozzo behavior. She blew out a hard breath and crossed her arms over her chest. "Okay. I will wait for you to respond to me like a normal human does when someone asks a question."

He barely poked his head from the closet. "Oh it's you." He sighed and returned to his search. "What are you talking about?"

Well it was nice to know he also did not listen to her either. To mess with him, she said, "You are getting yourself into boiling water."

The subtle threat of not listening to his wife when she was speaking to him went over his head. "Hot water," he corrected, stepping further into the closet. A whoop followed after he removed something and he laughed. "Found it!"

"Your sanity?"

"No, your dress." He cackled and held up the garment bag, grinning at her. "They were getting rid of all our stuff from cases a long time ago, I made sure to grab this. Had it ever since. Might not fit you anymore, you've put on a couple pounds…" His voice caught in a strangled sound as she pressed her fingers into the pressure point on the side of his neck, silencing him. "I really wish you'd stop doing that," he squeaked. She smirked and released him. He rubbed at the offending spot and scowled. "You promised you'd stop sneaking up like that."

"I promised I would stop sneaking up on you when you were holding our daughter over the Seine. I did not promise I would stop sneaking up any other time," she said sweetly. She smiled and wrinkled her nose up at him. "Serves you right for saying I put on weight."

"Well you had a baby since you last wore this."

And why am I going to wear it again? She unzipped the garment bag and pushed it aside, revealing the black dress she'd worn when she'd gone undercover with his father. She laughed at the memories it evoked. Actually amusing ones, rather than sad ones. She traced her finger over the neckline, shaking her head slightly. When she turned to look up at him, she saw he was nervous, his fingers fidgeting slightly at his side. A very obvious question stood between them and he wasn't answering, so she asked. "You stole this? Just in case I might need it again and you had it this entire time?"

"Well it was in storage."

"I did not know it was even in the closet."

"Well neither did I, hence the injuries I incurred retrieving it, look." He showed her his hand, where there was a very faint red line, probably from a hanger catching it. He stuck his lower lip out. "It hurts. Kiss it and make it better."

The only reason she took his hand and kissed it was because he looked just like Tali, or rather Tali looked just like him, when they were seeking sympathy and it amused her. She pulled the dress out of the bag and held it up, an eyebrow arching. "So why am I putting this on and why are you dressed like your favorite movie character?"

"My favorite movie character is not James Bond and this is not my James Bond tuxedo dearest, this is my Rick Blaine tuxedo."

"Rick Blaine wore a white jacket, not black." She realized her slip-up as soon as she said it and immediately covered his mouth with her hand before he could trumpet in glee that she knew a movie reference and had actually made one. She removed her hand and studied the dress again. It was really pretty. It was also the only gown she owned that was overly formal, save for her wedding dress. That was packed away in the attic, if Tali wanted it one day. She picked an imaginary piece of lint off of it. "So why am I wearing this?"

"Because we are going to the opera."

Well that was a surprise. She whipped her head around, her eyes wide. "The opera?"

He smiled, very smug. "Yes, we are going to the opera and you need to be dressed up, so get dressed, do your hair or whatever, and I'll be downstairs." He checked his watch and tapped it. "You have five minutes."

He'd only given her five minutes because he knew she could get ready in two and allowed herself some time to primp. She put the dress on, laughing that it did actually still fit, contrary to his thoughts, and left her hair loose, but slashed on some lipstick and mascara. The opera, she thought with a slightly frown, wondering which one. Plus where would they go? It was Paris, there were operas all over the place. She pulled on a pair of slingbacks and grabbed a clutch from the box that she knew Tali went to when she wanted to play dress up, and tossed some things into it. She had thirty seconds left to spare too, she thought, going down the spiral staircase of their two-story apartment.

When she dropped to the final step, she found him waiting. "Well this is quite the surprise," she cooed. She accepted the wrap he'd found somewhere and threw it over her shoulders, her eyes on his. Her voice was soft. "Tali's birthday was a few weeks ago." She'd gone to the opera then, to the Palais Garnier, alone as she usually did, to silently celebrate and mourn her beloved sister. It was a tradition she carried on, because it was just that, a tradition and a habit, but she'd learned to celebrate that she'd been blessed with her little sister and would tell stories of her to her namesake, who represented that life did indeed go on.

He kissed her knuckles, whispering. "I know. I also know that when you go to the opera you're sad and you miss her. So I've decided that you'll go to the opera because you want to and because it's one of the big three of romantic dates and we haven't done it yet." She smiled at that statement, because he was right. They did not go to the opera.

"You have no patience for it," she said. He couldn't get through a few minutes of even going to a play or a musical without growing antsy. All the time she told him it was a movie just live and in front of them, but he said it wasn't the same. In the meantime when he took her to large outdoor film showings or old movie theatres re-airing classics in French, she couldn't sit still. She smirked. "Plus you hate the Italian. Ironic, given your heritage."

"I'm only half Italian," he joked.

"With a name like Tony DiNozzo I thought you were Irish, my mistake." She made a move to go to the front door, to leave the apartment but he tugged at her and took her back towards the staircase. "Um…last I checked a taxi was not upstairs."

"We're not leaving."

"But we were going to the opera, you said."

"We are going to the opera."

Don't question it Ziva, she told herself. You've been partners, friends, parents, and spouses for far too long to start questioning now. She sighed hard, following him up the stairs, careful not to trip on her dress. "Tony what are you doing? I got dressed up." She came to the top of the stairs and then scowled as he took her to the end of the hallway. "The roof?" They had a rooftop terrace, but hadn't been up there for a few days since it had been raining. She followed him up the rickity spiral staircase. Another reason why they did not come up here often, since the stairs were difficult for Tali.

At the top, he pushed the door open and she stepped out, her mouth falling open slightly. Oh wow, she thought, looking at all the little white twinkle lights strung up around the small space. The low patio couch and chairs she had dragged up there one horrible Saturday were positioned towards a white movie screen and there was an old projector. She smiled at the old-fashioned opera glasses sitting on the wicker table in front of the couch. A large poster was on the wall, proclaiming the New York City Metropolitan Opera performance of _La Boheme_. "You did this?" she whispered, turning to face him, but he'd gone to fiddle with something in the corner. The plants she'd put up around the space gave them insulation from the rest of the world, making it seem like they were all alone here.

She walked around to the couch and took a seat, accepting the glass of champagne he'd bestowed on her. She smiled and laughed as the film started, revealing an old production of _La Boheme_ she had seen a dozen times. He sank down beside her, stretching out and propping his feet on the table. She did the same, slinging her ankles over his and leaning into his shoulder, her head resting against it. "No music," she whispered, still unable to stop smiling. "Difficult to go to the opera with no music."

"Ah, so McGee helped me there." He flicked a small remote in his hands and the beautiful strains of Puccini's classic filtered through, surrounding them in a cocoon. He leaned into her, whispering. "I can't take you to the opera, so I'm bringing it to you."

She reached her fingers down for his and threaded them together, feeling the silver wedding ring he never took off burn into her skin. The emotions she was feeling couldn't be put into words, so she said nothing and just leaned closer to him. This was her favorite opera. It was the first one she took Tali to see, when she was younger. Her little sister had always gravitated towards it, when their mother would play it while she was cleaning the house or trying to forget a distressing interaction with their father. While she preferred the ballet, blasting and dancing along to the masterpieces of Tchaikovsky, Minkus, and Stravinsky, Tali loved the music and singing.

Tears pricked in the corners of her eyes. The opera always did that to her. She took a deep breath and slowly released it, glancing sideways at him. He did this for her. Just because he could. Because a few weeks ago she was very sad after coming back from the opera and because that's what she associated it with. Because to him it was one of the top romantic dates you could go on with someone and he wanted her to experience that side of it. She remembered back to when he'd made the CD for her, letting her sit in the bullpen to listen to it and imagine her sister was with her while she let the music flow through her. After the CD had finished, almost two hours of Puccini, she'd gone to their Thanksgiving, pulled him outside and kissed him.

They never spoke of it again. She knew it was risky, anyone could look out the window and see, standing on the front porch was risk enough. She just wanted him to know how much it had meant to her. To think about someone beyond himself and know how important it all was to her. Sharing the information about the connection between the opera and sister and why she was so upset had been a massive leap for the two of them. She wanted to ensure he knew just how big a leap that was. The kiss had only meant to be a quick, soft one, just to show her appreciation and thanks. It had turned into something else the minute she'd wrapped her arms around his neck. They'd lost themselves. She broke away first. They didn't say anything. Then suddenly he just said "I know." And he went inside without another word.

She reached over for him again; her arms tight on him, and felt him tug on a blanket that had been draped over the top of the couch, pulling it over her shoulders. She pressed her cheek to his chest and listened to his heartbeat steadily beneath her skin. "I love you," she whispered. They rarely expressed the words. They didn't need to say them often, something which she always thought was an overly insecure couple thing to do, always repeating them after every conversation. They might have trust issues but they weren't insecure.

He rubbed at her shoulder, his head dropping down to rest against hers, still watching the screen. "I know," he sighed.

They kept watching the opera, the night cooling further until she was curled completely in his arms about an hour and a half later, her knees drawn up to her chest. The opera was coming to a close, the final act in play. She closed her eyes and began to hum along to the music playing through the speakers. She tugged at the bowtie on his neck, smiling. "Do you ever think of having another child?" She didn't know what made her think of that bombshell of a question. Maybe it was the opera, the memories of their past mingling with the memories of her sister. The idea she liked to think of her sister's happiness playing out in her namesake, a beautiful and happy child who embodied all of her sister's goodwill and innocence. Or maybe it was because they seemed to have stepped into another place on the rooftop. No interruptions from his father or their daughter, the opportunity to have a serious conversation and not find an escape.

The grip around her tightened. He cleared his throat and she felt him shrug. "I don't know. Do you?"

I like our life as it is, she thought, but sometimes she thought of another addition. She shrugged herself. "I always wanted one of each," she murmured. The last on her 'wishes' when she was a little girl. The list she never imagined she'd have again. The list she'd buried, written for him, she had left out anything about children. Children were not in the future of a woman who took other people's children from them. Little did she know, in her moment of despair, a life was already inside of her. She lifted her head up to look at him and reached to touch her finger to his nose, forcing him to gaze down at her, tearing his eyes from the opera playing in front of them. "Be honest with me Tony."

"Honest?" He released another breath, looking back at the screen. He continued to watch it for a few minutes and then brushed his nose down over hers. "Honestly another little Tali would be nice." He left it unsaid, but she could sense there was another reason he might not be completely against having another child. He missed out the first time with her. This gave him the opportunity to have one from the beginning. Not almost two-years into her life. She smiled long and slow when she felt his hand slip down over her bare back, beneath the blanket. "Are you talking about this because you want to start practicing?"

He could be so romantic, evidenced by the lovely evening he'd planned for them, and then there are other times, she thought with a smile. It was partly why she loved him, something she never thought she'd say. She snatched his hand back from her lower back, moving it back up and around her waist where it had been a moment ago. "Start practicing?" she scoffed, wrapping her arms back around him. "What do you call this morning?"

"Dress rehearsal?"

The laugh she let out drowned out the music for a moment while she got herself under control. She shook her head and reached up for his face, pulling him down to her. After a few minutes, she grinned slowly. "You know this is entirely frowned upon at the opera."

"Ah, frowned upon, but not banned," he noted.

"I am sure it is banned, yes." She glanced back to the screen, watching the ending scene. She looked back up at him, whispering and pulling him back to her. "You are lucky, the opera has ended." She tugged at his jacket with one hand while she reached for the blanket with the other, pulling it over their heads. No sooner had she done so did a phone ringing break into the opera music still playing. She broke away from the intense kiss he'd just bestowed on her and dropped the blanket back away from their heads. "Is that you or me?"

"It's me, I swear if this is my father and he locked himself out again, I am just throwing him on the street!" His rant against Senior stalled as he scowled at the phone. "It's McGee."

Panic leaped into her throat. She grabbed it and hit the green button, answering it, and then immediately pressed for FaceTime. Without even caring how she looked, the sleeve of her dress almost half off, she shouted into the phone. "McGee! It's both of us, what is wrong? Is Tali alright?"

The image on the phone filled with her daughter's smiling face. She waved. "Hi Ima! Hi Abba! I want to tell you night, night!"

The joyful sound of her daughter coming through the phone, with her happy face, all scrubbed clean and in her pajamas, sent her panic into nothing. She smiled wide, waving into the phone. "Hello _neshema_! Are you enjoying your evening with Uncle Tim and Aunt Delilah?"

Tali nodded quickly. "Yes. We watched movies and I danced and sang and they say I can be the bestest actress ever. I will be, you know." She cocked her head at them and scowled, a miniature version of her father. "Why are you outside?"

"We went to the opera, Tali-Bear," he explained. He laughed at her continued frown, trying to understand how the opera was actually outside. "I can explain later."

"I wanna go to the opera."

"We will take you the next time it is in town," she promised. She had been meaning to bring Tali to the opera sooner rather than later. It was better than sitting in front of the television all day like her father. "Tonight was just for Ima and Abba."

"Well...okay I guess."

He took the phone and turned it towards him. "Is McGeek still there? He didn't make you watch _Star Trek_ , did he? The only _Star Trek_ you can watch is _Wrath of Khan_ , you keep that in mind."

"Yes Abba," she droned. This had been a frequent admonishment each time she saw her Uncle Tim. She waved again. "Night, night. I have to say that."

I do want another one, she thought suddenly, watching her daughter settle into the large hotel bed. She smiled again and waved, blowing her a kiss. "I love you _neshema_ , sleep well." She waited for her father to say the same, before Tali disconnected the phone. She sank back in the couch, clutching at her chest. "Oh. Does she do that on purpose?" Just stab you in the chest like that with her ability to love? The look on his face indicated he had the same thought. She sighed hard. "I do want another one."

"Yeah, same." Tony dropped the phone onto the table after checking the text message McGee sent with a status update. "He says she's fine, she's going to sleep, they have plans to take her to breakfast in the morning, then to the park for carousel rides, and they'll drop her off around noon." He fell back into the couch, glancing sideways. "You okay?" His hand went to rub at her knee soothingly. "I know. It's like having a piece of you just walking around out there and you can't be there. All arms and legs and brain and…and just leaving you. Nowhere near you. Like your soul is gone. Ugh. I hate it. I want her back. I want her back next to me all the time, never to go away." He paused. "That's kind of possessive."

It might be possessive but she thought the same. They both sat on the couch, sighing and longing for their daughter. She reached over and squeezed his hand, swinging it back and forth slightly as she ran her thumb over his knuckles idly. "Thank you for tonight," she whispered. She looked around at the rooftop again. The poster, the champagne, the music…she quirked her lip a little. The opera would never be sad for her again after tonight. She kissed his knuckles and then patted their joined hands with her free one. "I will treasure this always."

"I just…" he trailed off and shrugged, whispering. "I just like seeing you happy." They shared a few minutes of comfortable silence together, leaning against each other on the couch. The cold seemed to seep out of her the closer she got to him. As she drifted off slightly, she heard him whisper into her ear. " _Ani ohevet otcha_."

She smiled into his chest, fading into sleep. I know, she thought, curling in closer as she drifted away. The opera was one thing, but…she sighed, content. Maybe this was actually the most romantic thing ever. "Can we do this again?" she murmured. It might be a fun thing to start doing. Like on anniversaries or something.

"Whatever you want," he yawned, pulling her closer. "I've hit them all, I'm done. Start expecting me to forget anniversaries, giving you coupons for free kisses and stuff instead of taking you to dinner, and those romantic dates, whoo! Over and done with. You've even got a kid off me. I'm set. No more crazy romance from me."

She smirked and reached to pinch at his neck, causing him to speak again. "Yes, but remember I know how to kill you without leaving a mark and one of my best friend is a woman who can help me get rid of your body without leaving any trace evidence."

"Hmm," he pretended to mull it over. "Change of plans. Romance it is." He kissed her quickly and grinned. "I think it's going to rain. You want to dance?"

She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her. "How very romantic of you, but pneumonia does not sound appealing. Another view of the opera however..." She flicked the remote and the music started to play again as she pulled him closer, laughing as he started to sing along in butchered Italian and terrible tone deaf singing.

 **THE END**


End file.
